Temperature calibrator with advanced functionality

Abstract

The present invention combines the functionalities of a multifunctional process calibrator with a heating and/or cooling unit (also called as a dry block). The heating and/or cooling unit and the process calibrator are integrated in a single housing forming the arrangement. The arrangement allows using several digital communication protocols i.e. fieldbus protocols. Temperature sensor simulation is possible as well. Pressure measurement and/or calibration is also enabled. The arrangement is supplied with internal rechargeable battery, which enables all other functionalities without mains power, except the use of the heating and/or cooling unit, where the mains power is required.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An arrangement for calibrating a temperature sensor applying a dry block, wherein the arrangement comprises:
 a processor; 
 at least one pair of connecting terminals; 
 a heating and cooling unit, comprising at least one heating and cooling element for heating and/or cooling a desired part of the arrangement; 
 an insert providing a place for a temperature sensor to be calibrated,
 wherein the arrangement further comprises: 
 
 a multifunctional process calibrator performing operations, measurements and generations concerning at least two different quantities taken from a group of voltage, current, pressure, temperature, frequency, and resistance; wherein 
 the heating and cooling unit and the multifunctional process calibrator are integrated in a single housing forming the arrangement, wherein the arrangement comprises: 
 an internal, rechargeable battery, which provides power to the arrangement except for the use of the at least one heating and cooling element; and 
 an accelerometer for detecting an inclination angle of the arrangement, and if the inclination angle exceeds a threshold angle, relaying a warning to a user of the arrangement. 
 
     
     
       2. The arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heating and cooling element is a Peltier element or a resistive heating element, depending on a desired temperature area of the arrangement. 
     
     
       3. The arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the arrangement comprises a user interface, comprising LED indicators, a screen, and a keyboard, where the LED indicators show warning signals to a user, and a screen shows connection instructions relating to the at least one pair of connecting terminals to the user relating to a desired calibration. 
     
     
       4. The arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the arrangement comprises at least two different fieldbus protocol modules enabling communication in at least two different fieldbus protocols. 
     
     
       5. The arrangement according to  claim 4 , wherein the fieldbus protocols are selected among a group of HART, FOUNDATION Fieldbus and Profibus fieldbus protocols. 
     
     
       6. The arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the arrangement comprises:
 a temperature sensor signal simulation which creates a temperature sensor signal based on a temperature input value, and which feeds the created temperature sensor signal to a desired location in a measurement circuit in the field. 
 
     
     
       7. The arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the arrangement comprises a pressure measurement module which measures or calibrates pressure of a pressure sensor. 
     
     
       8. The arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the multifunctional process calibrator comprises:
 a plurality of resistance (R) or resistance temperature detector (RTD) measurement channels, and 
 a plurality of thermocouple measurement channels. 
 
     
     
       9. The arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the arrangement executes performed settings, method steps, measurements, calibrations, and data transmission/receptions by applying a calibration software, which is common in the multifunctional process calibrator and in an external computer used in a control room, allowing data flow between the arrangement and the external computer, and measurement/calibration data storage to a desired location. 
     
     
       10. The arrangement according to  claim 3 , wherein the arrangement informs excessive heat within the arrangement with a warning indicator via the LED or via the screen. 
     
     
       11. The arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the arrangement comprises a connection to an external temperature controller or to an external pressure controller. 
     
     
       12. The arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the arrangement comprises reference sensors, which comprise a memory chip to store sensor coefficients, and wherein
 the arrangement automatically reads and uses the sensor coefficients after the insertion of the reference sensors into the arrangement. 
 
     
     
       13. A method for calibrating a temperature sensor applying a dry block, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
 controlling an arrangement by a processor; 
 allowing connections to instruments or sensors to be measured by at least one pair of connecting terminals; 
 performing heating and/or cooling of a desired part of the arrangement by a heating and cooling unit comprising at least one heating and cooling element, when desired; 
 placing a temperature sensor in an insert for calibration,
 wherein the method further comprises the steps of: 
 
 performing at least one operation and/or measurement and/or generation by a multifunctional process calibrator, where the multifunctional process calibrator is performing operations, measurements and generations concerning at least two different quantities taken from a group of voltage, current, pressure, temperature, frequency, and resistance; wherein 
 integrating the heating and cooling unit and the multifunctional process calibrator in a single housing forming the arrangement, wherein the arrangement comprises: 
 an internal, rechargeable battery, which provides power to the arrangement except for the use of the at least one heating and cooling element; and 
 an accelerometer for detecting an inclination angle of the arrangement, and if the inclination angle exceeds a threshold angle, relaying a warning to a user of the arrangement. 
 
     
     
       14. A non-transient computer memory with a computer program for calibrating a temperature sensor applying a dry block, the computer program comprising program code which is executable in a processor, wherein the computer program executes the steps of:
 controlling an arrangement by the processor; where the arrangement comprises at least one pair of connecting terminals for connections to instruments or sensors to be measured, and the arrangement allows a temperature sensor to be placed in an insert for calibration; 
 performing heating and/or cooling of a desired part of the arrangement by a heating and cooling unit comprising at least one heating and cooling element, when desired;
 wherein the computer program further executes the step of: 
 
 performing at least one operation and/or measurement and/or generation by a multifunctional process calibrator, where the multifunctional process calibrator is performing operations, measurements and generations concerning at least two different quantities taken from a group of voltage, current, pressure, temperature, frequency, and resistance; wherein 
 the heating and cooling unit and the multifunctional process calibrator are integrated in a single housing forming the arrangement, wherein the arrangement comprises: 
 an internal, rechargeable battery, which provides power to the arrangement except for the use of the at least one heating and/or cooling element; and 
 an accelerometer for detecting an inclination angle of the arrangement, and if the inclination angle exceeds a threshold angle, relaying a warning to a user of the arrangement. 
 
     
     
       15. An arrangement for calibrating a temperature sensor applying a dry block, wherein the arrangement comprises:
 a processor; 
 at least one pair of connecting terminals; 
 a heating and cooling unit, comprising at least one heating and cooling element for heating and/or cooling a desired part of the arrangement; 
 an insert providing a place for a temperature sensor to be calibrated,
 wherein the arrangement further comprises: 
 
 a multifunctional process calibrator performing operations, measurements and generations concerning at least two different quantities taken from a group of voltage, current, pressure, temperature, frequency, and resistance; wherein 
 the heating and cooling unit and the multifunctional process calibrator are integrated in a single housing forming the arrangement; 
 
       wherein the arrangement comprises a user interface, comprising LED indicators, a screen, and a keyboard, where the LED indicators show warning signals to a user, and a screen shows connection instructions relating to the at least one pair of connecting terminals to the user relating to a desired calibration; wherein the arrangement informs excessive heat within the arrangement with a warning indicator via the LED or via the screen; wherein the arrangement further comprises:
 an accelerometer, which senses whether an inclination angle of the arrangement exceeds a threshold angle or whether the arrangement has tipped over to its side, and 
 a fan, wherein the arrangement switches off the heating and cooling elements and turns on the fan. 
 
     
     
       16. A method for calibrating a temperature sensor applying a dry block, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
 controlling an arrangement by a processor; 
 allowing connections to instruments or sensors to be measured by at least one pair of connecting terminals; 
 performing heating and/or cooling of a desired part of the arrangement by a heating and cooling unit comprising at least one heating and cooling element, when desired; 
 placing a temperature sensor in an insert for calibration,
 wherein the method further comprises the steps of: 
 
 performing at least one operation and/or measurement and/or generation by a multifunctional process calibrator, where the multifunctional process calibrator is performing operations, measurements and generations concerning at least two different quantities taken from a group of voltage, current, pressure, temperature, frequency, and resistance; wherein 
 integrating the heating and cooling unit and the multifunctional process calibrator in a single housing forming the arrangement; 
 wherein the arrangement comprises a user interface, comprising LED indicators, a screen, and a keyboard, where the LED indicators show warning signals to a user, and a screen shows connection instructions relating to the at least one pair of connecting terminals to the user relating to a desired calibration; 
 wherein the arrangement informs excessive heat within the arrangement with a warning indicator via the LED or via the screen; wherein the arrangement further comprises: 
 an accelerometer, which senses whether an inclination angle of the arrangement exceeds a threshold angle or whether the arrangement has tipped over to its side, and 
 a fan, wherein 
 the arrangement switches off the heating and cooling elements and turns on the fan. 
 
     
     
       17. A non-transient computer memory with a computer program for calibrating a temperature sensor, the computer program comprising program code which is executable in a processor, wherein the computer program executes the steps of:
 controlling an arrangement by the processor; where the arrangement comprises at least one pair of connecting terminals for connections to instruments or sensors to be measured, and the arrangement allows a temperature sensor to be placed in an insert for calibration; 
 performing heating and/or cooling of a desired part of the arrangement by a heating and cooling unit comprising at least one heating and cooling element, when desired;
 wherein the computer program further executes the steps of: 
 
 performing at least one operation and/or measurement and/or generation by a multifunctional process calibrator, where the multifunctional process calibrator is performing operations, measurements and generations concerning at least two different quantities taken from a group of voltage, current, pressure, temperature, frequency, and resistance; wherein 
 the heating and cooling unit and the multifunctional process calibrator are integrated in a single housing forming the arrangement; 
 wherein the arrangement comprises a user interface, comprising LED indicators, a screen, and a keyboard, where the LED indicators show warning signals to a user, and a screen shows connection instructions relating to the at least one pair of connecting terminals to the user relating to a desired calibration; 
 wherein the arrangement informs excessive heat within the arrangement with a warning indicator via the LED or via the screen; wherein the arrangement further comprises: 
 an accelerometer, which senses whether an inclination angle of the arrangement exceeds a threshold angle or whether the arrangement has tipped over to its side, and 
 a fan, wherein 
 the arrangement switches off the heating and cooling elements and turns on the fan.